2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Mt. Chokai Border Culture and Folklore Research

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23521001
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Cultural anthropology/Folklore
Research Institution	Keiwa College
Principal Investigator	KANDA Yoriko 敬和学園大学, 人文学部, 教授 (40247424)
Research Collaborator	KISHI Shoichi 敬和学園大学新発田学研究センター, 一般研究員
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2013
Keywords	民俗学 / 宗教 / 修験 / 地域のアイデンティティ / 鳥海山 / 山岳信仰 / 矢島 / 滝沢
Research Abstract	Disputes between Yamagata and Akita Prefecture over Mt. Chokai were continuous since the Early Modern period. However, after Mt. Chokai was designated as a national historical site five years ago, the prefectures have developed an understanding. This research analyzes how residents overcame their longtime disputes, autonomously involved themselves in their communities, and developed new identities. Municipalities in Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture issued "A Historical Site, Mt. Chokai, Report." However, no academic criticism was devoted to historical sources used for the report. In this study, the researcher analyzed Chapter 4, "Mountain Asceticism and Culture of Mt. Chokai," of "A Historical Site, Mt. Chokai, Report." The results suggest possibilities of revising official city, town, and village histories, as well as local folk histories.